Little Red Riding Rabbit

I wish I could say how much I loved this cartoon, as others seem to here. Overall, except for the last minute - which I loved - it wasn't entertaining, just grating. Of course, that "grating" was on purpose and led the final scene which was a pleasant surprise.

Until, then, the first thing that hits you is, "This isn't the 'Little Red Riding Hood' I know! It's some bobby-soxer Judy Garland-with glasses and-an-attitude .....and a voice that makes you wince more than hearing nails on a blackboard. Anyway, with Bugs along for the ride in her lunch basket, the two travel on their way to Granny's. The big bad wolf beats them here, thanks to a false "short cut" signs he plants to fool Red.

The wild stuff starts at Grandma's. beginning with the note Granny leaves on the door. Bugs and the wolf get into a long and silly chase that isn't really funny.

Now that last part, beginning with the wolf trying save his.....umm....well....valuable parts, shall we say, from being burned off is hilarious. The last scene was almost too good to be true, but I loved it. Now there is some JUSTICE!

Little Red Riding Rabbit (1944)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Classic Merrie Melodies short is a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story except here we have Bugs Bunny being what the wolf is wanting. A lot of people seem to be rather hit and miss on this short but I've always found it to be quite funny from start to finish. Some put down the granddaughter as being too annoying but I think that's the entire point and it does pay off well in the ending where things get mixed up a little. The action between the wolf and Bugs is pure classic with a number of great scenes including the wonderful one where Bugs puts a hot coal inside the wolf's pants. The animation is extremely well done and there's enough action for two movies.

I thought this was hilarious. It is tongue in cheek, so clever, that it works all the way. It begins with a truly obnoxious Little Red Riding Hood whose voice has the same quality as Elmer Fudd. She has Bugs Bunny in her basket and she is taking him to Grandma's house as a food offering. Bugs is along for the ride but isn't going to go quietly. Meanwhile, the obligatory wolf gets into the act. Of course, he heads for Grannie's house. When he gets there, he puts on her nightgown, but when he pulls back the covers, there are already four wolves in the bed. Bugs then goes to work on the wolf, leading to a great conclusion. This is one of the most satisfying of all the Warner Brothers cartoons.

Of all the Little Red Riding Hood spoofs, this has to be my favorite. The sight gags from this short are cliche now, but they were new back then...the chase up and down the stairs and through the doors, etc.

The best part about this one was the totally obnoxious Red Riding Hood, the bobby-socked, puberty-challenged brat singing "Five O'clock Whistle". I'm sure she was modeled after someone's kid..I just wish I knew who!

This cartoon is one of my favorites for a lot of reasons, one of them being that it's a showcase for the sound F/X that were created by Robert Clampett and used throughout in the WB cartoons, even the ones that he didn't direct, such as this one. There is the "bee-whup," the singular "boit," and the most famous one, the "yada-yada-yada." There may even be a couple more I can't think of, but those three are instantly recognizable to long-time Bugs Watchers as Clampett's own.